Earth Day Volunteers Protect Biodiversity and the Charles River

On Friday, April 21 a number of employees from the Boston metro area gathered to help the Charles River Conservancy improve the parklands surrounding the river.

Despite the rain and wind, Veolia volunteers spent the afternoon uprooting a local invasive species called Garlic Mustard. The Charles River Conservancy carefully explained what it looked like, and how to differentiate it from native plants. Once all of the volunteers were comfortable identifying this abundant weed, the hard work began and the team navigated the trees, brush and mud to uproot as much of it as possible.

Invasive species grow quickly, and can prevent native species from flourishing. Removing invasive and non-native species encourages the return of native plants, insects, birds, amphibians and mammals -- all of which play a role in ecological health. The work of these volunteers cleared a large swath of land from this particular invasive species, and continued to demonstrate Veolia’s ongoing commitment to the health of the Charles River.